Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The opera of Dresden, Germany has been named after its architect Gottfried Semper and was built from the year 1838 on. It is one of the landmarks of Dresden and located close to the Zwinger and the river Elbe. It was destroyed twice: In 1869 and in 1945. And only in 1985 the building could be re-opened with a show of “Der Freischütz” from Carl Maria von Weber. One of the last positive moments for the government of the GDR.
The Fürstenzug in Dresden, Germany is a huge mural display attached to the castle within the city center. It has been painted from 1871 to 1876 and should celebrate the former sovereigns of Saxonia on the 800th anniversary of the Wettin family. It is 102 meters long and depicts 35 noblemen mounted on their horses.
I still remember the moment when I was standing in front of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Dresden, Germany the first time in my life. It was a ruin. Big blocks of stone were lying around. The government of the GDR had no interest in repairing a house of prayer and left it standing in ruins – as a memorial of war.
Continue reading “Finally restored”
I usually book hotels with HRS and select them by plain categories like price, location and availability of a car park – when doing road trips. When I needed a place to stay at Dresden, Germany a simple but very special harbourage came to my mind: the ship hotel “Pöppelmann” (named after the architect of the Zwinger).
There are many old mines that can be visited in Germany, especially in the Harz mountains. But the salt mine in Wieliczka close to Kraków, Poland stands out in different dimensions. At first the vast size has to be named; it is somehow like a city under the earth – with a restaurant, a museum and different shops. You can walk around down there for hours.
Kraków, Poland is a wonderful medieval city that survived the centuries without being destroyed or harmed. That is why it has a very unique atmosphere and style. It was until 1596 the capital of the kingdom of Poland and most Polish kings are buried within the cathedral of Kraków. Here you’ll also find the second-oldest university in northern Europe directly after Praha, Czech Republic.
I chose the Puro hotel in Kraków, Poland only because of its location: it is directly opposite of the main railway station and therefore really easy to find. When checking in I was pretty surprised because it had nothing in common with the mostly shabby hotels found close to German railway stations.
“Whoever destroys a soul,
it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world.
And whoever saves a life,
it is considered as if he saved an entire world.”
– Jerusalem Talmud, Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:9
An emotionally stunning and disturbing place that one has to see once in a lifetime. When Nazi Germany occupied Poland they started to use an old army site close to the town of Oświęcim, Poland as a concentration camp and work camp – at first for Polish opposition members. Forced labour especially for the German company I.G. Farben was one of the main goals, even when the first Jews arrived.
Continue reading “Industrialized mass murder”
“Those who do not remember the past
are condemned to repeat it.”
– George Santayana